Dec. 9
100 Years ago – 1924
The O.D. Ford Company of Martinsville did more than sell cars. It placed a large number of markers to direct traffic through the important streets, and it recently had broken ground for a new filling station on a tract of land at the intersection of Danville and Leatherwood Roads. Several large trees were left on the lot so that tourists who desired to camp could stay there. Benches also were placed about the land for travelers to sit and rest.
An ad for Martinsville Studebaker dealer G.W. King invited people to ask for a demonstration of the Studebaker right in the middle of a rain storm. On Dec. 9, an article in the Henry Bulletin told about the experience: “’We believe in proving under actual circumstances just how snug and cozy our new Studebaker Duplex-Phaeton is,’ said Mr. King. ‘We thought this would be a fine opportunity and our advertisement brought a lot of phone calls. Motorists including a large number of women learned they can ride in this new type car and obtain closed car protection in 30 seconds by simply lowering the roller enclosures without even leaving their seats. It was one of the most successful demonstrations I ever saw.”
A Health League at Martinsville Grammar School was organized under the supervision of the Red Cross Nurse. The officers were elected by students: Harvey Mays, chief health officer, and Annie Holt, assistant health officer, plus two health monitors for each room. The room health monitors would serve for one week each. The chief health officer appointed committees, each of which would serve for one week: Committee on School Building and Grounds (responsible for neatness); Committee on Rest Room (an all-girl committee, to be sure the Rest Room was neat and the First Aid Cabinet was cared for); Committee on Sanitation (responsible for sanitation of the school and supervise the cleaning of the basement washing facilties); and Daily Inspection and Health Habit Committee (encourage personal cleanliness and report symptoms of communicable diseases). Teachers who had not been told yet by the Nurse to institute this plan were advised they should go ahead and get it started with their students.
75 years ago – 1949
Massie Coleman Walls, 66, of Dyer’s store community, was killed when a team of horses hitched to a wagon bolted and dragged him by the foot for a quarter of a mile. He apparently had just hitched the team to the wagon and was attempting to board when the horses took off. His 17-year-old daughter Anne Walls was returning home from Axton High school when she met the horses on the plantation road. She flagged them down, then saw her father. He left a widow and 14 children.
A bond of $7,000 each was set on two Martinsville teenagers who, in city court, entered pleas of guilty to breaking, entering and robbing the Tuxedo Pool Parlor and Café on East Main Street.
1960
Local law enforcement officials had been busting an average of more than one still a day. On Dec. 9, local ABC agents destroyed three stills in Patrick County. Since Nov. 15, 19 arrests were made and 23 stills were smashed between Henry and Patrick Counties. ABC agents said that whisky-making often increased slightly during the holiday season, and a recent increased state tax on ABC whisky was prompting a greater call for moonshine.
50 years ago – 1974
Top bowling scores: Jo Bigs of Jimmy White Sheet Metal League at Sportlanes hit a high 254 and 603, and her 254 was the best league game for women of the season; Betty Brooks of the Friday Invitational at Druid hit games of 214-212-607, her first game over 600; Lillie Arnold of the Petti-Coat League at Druid and a high 636 on games of 211-247-178, averaging 165. Sonny Farmer of Henry County Industrial League at Sportlanes shot a high 232 games, 105 pins over his 127 average for a Century award. In the Druid Sportsman’s, Tommy Barker hit a high 234-612, Fletcher Yarbrough added a 213-608 and Lenn Wall a 234 and 638.
25 years ago - 1999
Henry County bought the 5 B’s building for $3.8 million at an auction in front of the county courthouse. The 170,000-square-foot building was on 25 acres in the Patriot Centre at Beaver Creek Industrial Park. It was hoped that the county could sell it to another industry.
— Information from museum records and the Henry Bulletin and the Martinsville Bulletin.